Enjoy the update, for the end is coming.

Other than the update, you might want to check out Ryan and Corrie's page for info on the new series of BME postcards and trading cards… They're running a contest — want to be on the cards?

Finally, sorry for being so late in promo'ing this, but Jon's IAM.Crush2 is up and running and a zillion times better than the old one.

Another nice big update (2,830 images) for you today. Not quite as crazy as last time (3,239), but still a big one. Thank you to nickythegreek for being our cover model (one of my favourite covers all year I think) — that's his first play piercing session. Also thanks to Blair for about a hundred ear scalpelling and “correction” photos that should be very interesting to artists especially.

Also, congrats to Perk900 for crossing the 1,000 image line for this year, and a belated congrats (it actually happened last update) to Nobcatz for crossing the 2,000 image line (!) this year.

Now I wanted to mention some scary stuff:

The US (via Perle) has admitted that the war on Iraq is illegal (more), saying “I think in this case international law stood in the way of doing the right thing.” If that's not enough of a “wow” moment, let me add to the mix what General Tommy Franks just said. According to Franks, if there's another attack on the US, the US will dissolve its government and Constitution in favour of a fully military government. (more)

The US has deployed 20,000 troops along the Syrian border (more), a move that threatens to erupt the entire Middle East into armageddon should it continue to escalate. Bush has called up even more troops (mostly National Guard and reserves) to go to Iraq to die (more, more). Unfortunately they've also admitted that they can't afford to pay everyone and troops that are injured may not get medical care (more).

As you know, UK targets were bombed in Turkey, injuring almost 500 people and killing about thirty (more), with continuing attacks expected. Even more US targets (including corporate targets) have been hit in Iraq (more), and the analysts continue to point out that the loose al Qaeda-type franchises (more) are figuring out how to very effectively combat Western aggression (more).

The more time that passes the more allies the US is losing in the world (more, more) — and stunts like hiding key intelligence from even allies like the British (thereby killing UK troops) really isn't helping (more). Other stunts like regularly blowing up civilian homes in Iraq (more) guarantees a steady stream of guerrilla volunteers, and what's that I see… oh — Saudi Arabia is getting itself some nukes to be safe from US attacks (more).

Back on US soil, Congress just approved yet another massive expansion of police powers, throwing away the rights of US citizens (more). New York City continues to block access to 9/11 records (more) making folks wonder just what's being hidden… and over and over, the people ask whatever happened to the Constitution (more)?